A Changed Path
by Tori-T-Face
Summary: AU: What would happen if Cloud was a TURK instead of SOLDIER? New and unlikely friendships form, relationships bloom and plots twist. This will contain SLASH! Male\Male
1. Prologue

_AN 1: Okay so I wrote this today after watching Advent Children Complete (again) I'm not sure if I want to continue this, I have started the next chapter but it all depends on how many people like this. I hope you like it and please review! but no flames :) I don't have a BETA for this so all mistakes are mine._

**_02/06/2013 Edited_**

**_AN2: I've been doing a lot of planning for this lately and today I went through this first chapter and changed a few things. I added in the whole first two segments from Eleanor's Point of View. This actually contains a few plot points that I came up with so if you haven't you should probably read through this chapter again. _**

**_As I said I've been planning so I'll probably go through some of the other chapters and change a few things there too so keep an eye out for that. I hope you like this chapter and the changes._**

_**Disclaimer**: Obviously FFVII doesn't belong to me nor the characters used. This is purely for fun and to improve my writing_

* * *

**A Changed Path – Prologue**

I slowly walked along the corridor towards my office, my hands absentmindedly cradling my stomach in some sort of protection or caress.

It was unreal to think that I was actually pregnant.

Pregnant with a child.

His child.

Don't get me wrong I don't love him. I don't even really care for him but I do work for him and there is any number of things that he could do with this child, with me. He could recognise it as his or he could toss them to the side without a second thought.

I was terrified of what could happen next. They could kill us either before my child even has the opportunity to live for him\herself or they could wait until they are born and then kill me leaving my child with no one to care for them. Somehow I doubt my father would readily take up the role of a father once again. He definitely wouldn't if it turns out to be a boy.

I wandered into my office not looking up until I had sat myself down in my seat behind my desk; therefore I was relatively shocked to see that there was another person in the room with me.

It was my father.

I saw his eyes flicker to my hands resting on my abdomen. He sighed and walked over to the door to shut it to give us the illusion of privacy; there is no such thing as privacy when the Turks are involved.

"How could you have been so foolish?" he groaned plopping carelessly into one of the chairs situated in front of my desk. "Didn't I tell you before you began the assignment that he would try and proposition you?"

I nodded silently. I don't regret this child, I really don't but the conception could have been better, could have been different. There was no love between our union just pure and simple lust. He liked the way I looked and I was desperate for someone to show me how much they wanted me.

"You can't keep it you know." He frowned watching as I rubbed soothing circles on my abdomen. My head snapped up to stare at him in horror. If he thought that I was going to abort this baby then he had another thing coming. If he thinks that I would do something like that then he doesn't really know me at all.

"Of course I can!" I cried. "I will not kill my child in cold blood!"

He shook his head slowly.

"I understand the pain you will go through should you do this. I don't want that for you but if you don't abort this child they _will_ kill you both."

"There has to be another way..." I whispered shuddering.

He stood up and stood there looking down at me. My father has always been a rock for me in my childhood but now that I work for him and after my mother's unexpected death\murder he had closed off his emotions and took up this cold facade.

"I will see what I can do but I can't promise anything."

He left before I could come up with a suitable reply. I gasped and curled up on myself, grieving my impossible situation.

* * *

Weeks had passed since my father had visited me in my office that day but nothing had yet to come of it. I had no contact with him because I had been regulated to desk work to keep me out of the way and safe.

What they say about Turks being a family is true, they are all trying to look out for me and keep me and my child safe. The best way they have come up with so far is to keep me in the office taking care of paperwork.

So here I am sitting bored to death in my office signing my signature over and over again. Death warrants, man hunts, surveillance missions, possible recruits ... they all need to be signed for.

"Eleanor." My father voice called from the open doorway. I looked up and saw him and some other fellow Turks standing behind him. I smiled and waved him in.

"What can I do for you?" I asked trying to hide my anxiety.

"We have deduced the best way to keep you both alive –"

"Really? How? I'll do anything!" I blurted sitting up further in my chair straightening my back. I had never really expected them to come up with a way to save us both it was a surprise that they had been looking because they had all been deployed on various different missions.

"You will have to leave the Turks unofficially but you will have a mission to carry out for the rest of your life. You will have no contact with any of us." He stated as if he was giving out a new mission to one of his recruits not as if he was talking to his only daughter. "You will be relocated to Nibelheim. We need an inside man in the town to report to us about Professor Hojo's activities in the area."

"I didn't know Hojo was in that area." I commented frowning thoughtfully. This mission didn't sound all that difficult in the long run but Nibelheim is a small village so the hardest part will probably finding myself a slot in their tight knit community.

"Yes. It is rumoured that he has taken residence in the Shinra mansion based just outside of the town. As you know he was assigned to the Jenova Project, we believe that this is where he is carrying out his experiments."

"So you need me to confirm and keep my eye out for suspicious activity." I nodded.

"Yes. You will never be allowed to return to Midgar but your child when he or she is old enough may because he\she will be an unknown. You are to leave with them now, they will take you to the village safely."

I looked at the two Turks standing behind him for the first time. They both seemed to be typical Turks, black suits, blank expressions, guns hidden somewhere in their uniform.

I nodded again and stood from my chair before walking towards them with my head held high. I paused as I got to my father and quickly hugged him resting my head on his chest. His arms came up and surrounded me, squeezing me affectionately.

"If your son or daughter ever decides to be a Turk make sure to send them to me. I'll make sure that they're protected." He whispered in my ear so the other Turks wouldn't hear him. I smiled my eyes filled with unshed tears as I looked up at him for the last time.

"I will." I nodded and walked out of the room with my two Turk protectors following me at a respectful distance.

* * *

_12 Years Later_

I stared at the screen of the television in front of me, my mother sitting by my side wringing her hands together with a frown marring her heart-shaped face.

We were watching an emergency bulletin broadcast from the Shinra building in Midgar, the president was standing on a podium with multiple microphones set up in front of him for the various news channels, his blond covered head barely able to be seen over them. Every once in a while the president would hold these broadcasts to update the populace on the Wutai war, new reactors that were being built and updates in technology. Sometimes he would even tell us to keep an eye out for a wanted fugitive. Every time he held one I had to watch what I said to my mother, she was a very dedicated follower of Shinra, always making me watch the bulletin even though I never wanted to. I didn't quite buy most of the crap that the fat man on the screen preached about Mako energy and cheaper more efficient service. They made promises but they never delivered on them always keeping us waiting with bated breath for something that would never come.

"People of Gaea, it is with great relief that I announce the end, and our victory, of the Wutai war!" The people in the crowd cheered their relief loudly, the president just stood there with a smug and victorious smirk on his fat round face. Behind him stood a peculiar set of people, people I could only assume were his bodyguards and officials. My eyes lingered on the figure of a teenage boy who looked to be a few years older than myself, his hair was long and a strange, pleasing shade of silvery grey almost white. His face long and angular, long thin nose and almond shaped eyes of a startling green and blue colour, there was something different about his eyes but I couldn't quite see him close enough to figure out what it was.

"Yes, yes thank you!" President Shinra chortled quieting the crowd as if they were cheering for him and not for the victory the soldiers had given us. "This war would have gone on even longer if it wasn't for the very helpful hand that we were given by the war hero Sephiroth!" he gestured to the teen boy behind him, who as the cameras focused on him just nodded his assent not speaking and his expression hardly shifting at all.

Narrowing my eyes I spotted a man in a white lab coat with black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck standing in the background behind the men in black suits who were standing behind the war hero.

"Mommy, who is that man in the white coat?" I asked curiously, I was weary of the look of sadistic pleasure on the strange man's face as he watched Sepproth; no it was Sephiroth not Sepproth, what a strange name...

"Oh him," Eleanor Strife growled uncharacteristically. "That is a very bad man little Rain Cloud. If you ever see him in person stay very, very far away from him, understand?"

I nodded even though I didn't understand what could be so bad about one little man. My mother turned her attention back to the screen, hanging off every word the President uttered making me roll my eyes skyward and leave the room.

I climbed into my bedroom which was up some ladders onto a sort of raised platform where the attic should have been but with no wall so that it looked down onto the rest of the house like a tree house indoors. I grabbed the newspaper from the side of my mattress from earlier this morning and looked at the picture decorating the front page.

In the picture was the teen boy Sephiroth and next to him stood two other SOLDIERs, one with chin length brown hair and the other with red hair of the same length but more styled. Both of them looked to be around the same age as Sephiroth and the small caption underneath said their names were: Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos. They all looked rather strong ... that was a stupid thought, of course they are strong if they were not strong then how could they have won a war? All three of them looked so sturdy and imposing almost as if they ready to jump into action to protect those around them. Seeing that picture of those three friends I resolved that one day I would stand at their side as a friend and a comrade, equally as strong and respected by all.

A hero.

I smiled to myself and jumped down onto the floor as I heard the television turn off and my mother walking into the kitchen to start cleaning up the dishes. Hurrying up behind her I called out her name making her turn and smile.

"What is it Rain Cloud?" she asked eyeing the newspaper still clutched in my hand.

"I know what I want to be when I grow up!" I giggled jumping up and down excitedly.

"Oh? What would that be?" I knew she was only humouring me but I was serious about this and once I've made my mind up about something there is no changing it.

"I want to be a SOLDIER!" I smiled. "First Class Cloud Strife!"

The smile she was sporting slowly slid off her face her concern clearly growing, she was probably worried about the danger but I would be strong and invincible, nothing would be able to stop me.

"I'll tell you what." She began. "I have a compromise for you. How about you become a Turk instead? You'll get much closer to the SOLDIER's that way and you'll be a part of a family rather than an organisation. They say that being a TURK is a lot safer than becoming a SOLDIER."

I frowned considering. "Why would I want to be a TURK?"

She smiled again. "Because you're grandfather was one." My eyes grew wide in wonder. Was what she saying true? Could my grandfather have possibly been a TURK? My twelve year old mind tired to get around the idea but found it impossible.

"I will carry on the tradition that my Grandfather set then! I will protect the SOLDIER's and the important people! I'll make you all proud, I swear it!" I ran from the room hearing my mother mutter behind me.

"You already do, Cloud."


	2. Goodbye Nibelheim Hello Midgar

_AN: Okay here is the next chapter. I haven't played the game in a while so I used a map on the internet to give me the general layout of Gaea and the towns. Please, Please _**review!**_ i__t really does help get me motivated. I've never done a fully complete multi-chapter fanfiction before so you'll have to bear with me. I'm doing this as a sort of challenge__ to myself._

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Goodbye Nibelheim, Hello Midgar**

_Five Years Later – August 11th_

I groaned in dismay as the beeping of my cheap alarm clock pierced into my ear waking me from a very arousing dream about a certain red haired SOLDIER First Class. My mother thinks that I have a crush on Sephiroth but why would I? Sephiroth is a great man yes but so is Genesis, if not more so for having to be in his friends shadow most of the time. Strange as it seems I can relate to him better than I can to Sephiroth.

"Cloud! Get up!" My mother called from downstairs, the smells of breakfast cooking made my nose twitch in interest giving me incentive to crawl out of my warm cocoon of blankets. Today was my seventeenth birthday and incidentally it was also the day that I would be leaving this small town for the big city of Midgar to begin my cadet training and hopefully get into the TURK programme to begin my training there too. I have to admit that I am really very nervous, I have never left home before and yet here I am getting ready to leave this small town behind. It is not like I really have any fond memories of the town apart from my mother but it _is_ where I grew up and according to my mother leaving is never easy.

"I'm coming!" I rolled smoothly off of the worn mattress, walked over to my small dresser placed against the wall and changed into a pair of sweat pants and a white wife beater. I groaned as I stretched my back working out the stiff muscles before dropping to the floor to begin my morning workout: Two hundred push-up's, Two hundred sit-up's, chin-up's on a bar I had fitted on the ceiling a few years ago, squats and finally the after stretches. It had taken me a long time to get to where I am now with my fitness; I had to slowly work myself up, building stamina, flexibility, speed and strength. On top of all of that my mother had been tutoring me every day to improve my intelligence. She always tells me that to be a Turk you have to be intelligent in mostly all things necessary. So I studied studiously reading about complicated maths, English, different languages, lock picking, computer hacking, weapon loading and shooting. Of course all of this was theory and no practical work seeing as there is hardly anywhere to get a decent gun in Nibelheim or any top grade locks to pick.

Being a Turk has been a goal of mine for a very long time and at this point in my life I cannot imagine myself doing anything else, not even going into the SOLDIER programme. The last five years have been dedicated to honing my skills so that I have a fighting chance of getting into the Turk programme, I can't imagine what it will be like when I actually get there.

"CLOUD!" My mother screamed from downstairs. "You're food is getting cold!"

I chuckled, grabbed a clean set of everyday clothes and descended the ladder to go the washroom for a shower. Passing my mother I grinned as her nose wrinkled as it did every morning as she caught wind of my stench.

"Phew!" she wafted her hand in the air in front of her. "If you smell this bad every day I can't begin to express my relief that I won't have to live in the cadet bunkers with you lot."

* * *

I sighed happily, patting my stomach in content; my mother had really outdone herself this time, she must have felt that she had to do her best for once because it was the last time that I would be having breakfast with her in a very long time. I watched as she shifted through my bags again making sure that I had everything packed and ready for the trip, her blonde hair falling loose from her hasty ponytail around her face.

"Mom." I started and huffed in annoyance when she did not hear me. Getting up from the rickety kitchen chair I walked over to her and placed my hands on hers making her stop.

"Mom, I'll be fine. You've been training me for the past five years for this." I reminded her kindly.

She looked up at me with her wide blue eyes making me feel a momentary twinge of guilt for leaving her here by herself.

"Oh, I know Rain Cloud but that isn't going to make me stop worrying." She chuckled exasperated with herself. I moved my hands to her shoulders and brought her in for a hug, my head resting on top of hers which was tucked under my chin.

"You will be careful won't you?"

"I'm always careful."

She removed herself from my hold and reached up, cupping my face with her small hands. She just looked at me for a few moments committing me to memory before smiling and sighing sadly.

"You will write to me." She didn't make it sound like a request more like a demand and I couldn't help but buckle under her gaze. She always has had a certain way to make me give in before I can even think to protest. I keep asking her how she does it but she just gives me a secretive smile.

There was a hoot of a car horn coming from outside moments later and moving around my mother I grabbed my bags, making my way out of the house towards the truck that was waiting at the entrance of the village. Many of the people in the other houses came out looking curious ready to gather the latest gossip to spread around. I sighed and ignored them.

Catching a glimpse of Tifa Lockhart from the corner of my eye I avoided eye contact. I had decided that I would not tell Tifa what I was going to do a long time ago. She was a nice girl but way too immature to understand my reasoning for leaving. I did not really know much about her to be honest having never really spoken to her for more than a few minutes at a time. It was really none of her business what I was doing and there really was not any real reason why she should be wearing that betrayed look she was giving me.

"Ignore them, Rain Cloud." My mother whispered from behind me. I would miss her reassuring presence when in the city but it was an inevitable part of life, leaving behind your loved ones to move on with your life and make your own.

I nodded silently while walking, feeling the press of their stares on my back. For as long as I can remember the Strife's were not welcome in Nibelheim always shunned, bullied and ridiculed. My mother had never really told me what caused such animosity with the locals but I have been bullied and beaten since I was a small child by the locals whenever I did something they deemed unacceptable. It would not surprise me if they were glad that I was leaving, in fact they would be positively thrilled.

Once we reached the truck I opened the back where there were a few bags already sitting on the floor of the truck, they must have picked up some people from Rocket Town on their way here. I closed the truck door behind me once I was finished and pulled my mother into a tight hug savouring the feel of her in my arms. I wonder when the next time will be that I will feel my mother's love in person again. Letters are all well and good but nothing can beat a hug from your mother.

"The next time I see you I'll be a fully trained Turk." I vowed squeezing her tighter; her arms around me gripping me like a vice. "You'll be okay by yourself won't you?"

She pulled back smiling some tears falling down her pale cheeks.

"Oh don't you worry about me. I'll be just fine, I got by just fine before you were born I think I can do it again." She reached up and affectionately tugged the biggest spike of my hair. "Now time for you to go, I've kept you waiting long enough. Just remember all of your training Cloud and you'll get into the Turks no problem."

I nodded again before turning around and getting into the truck, sliding the door shut behind me. I rolled down the window for a final farewell.

"I love you mom." I whispered for her ears only.

She smiled sadly more tears falling. "I love you too, Rain Cloud." She brushed her hand across my cheek before backing away from the truck. "Don't you dare look back!"

I rolled the window up and signalled the driver that it was alright to drive. As the truck began to move I did not give into the temptation to take a last peek at the village and my mother, instead keeping my eyes on the road ahead of us, ahead of me and wondering where it would take me.

* * *

The journey to Midgar was a long one; we had to stop at a lot of different places to collect more cadets from the various towns we passed on the way. We went to the Cosmo Canyon, made a slight side trip to Gongaga before driving past the Golden Saucer, we were fortunate enough to drive past the saucer during the night so we could see it all lit up with the bright lights and hear the merriment, then we headed to North Corel before heading to Costa-Del-Sol to catch the ferry to the Junon harbour, by this point the truck was full and could hold no more people so we drove through the caves towards Kalm but did not stop to get anyone there seeing as it was so close to Midgar that there was not any point.

The atmosphere in the truck was very merry everyone talking with each other, talking about their hometowns, comparing their lifestyles. I found myself joining in and telling them about life in Nibelheim, I was the only one in the truck from the little village, they were fascinated with how we would keep warm in the coldest months by not leaving the houses at all and sitting frequently in front of the open fire. I however was more fascinated with the tales from the people who were from the towns closer to the more populated areas like Costa-Del-Sol and especially Cosmo Canyon. I was fortunate enough to be sitting next to the lad from the canyon most of the trip so we would regale each other with different tales and legends from our respective villages. He told me about the stars and I told him about the Shinra Mansion, the tale turned into more of a horror\ghost story than anything else and managed to get the attention of the whole truck, the driver even seemed interested.

Eventually we arrived in the desert area surrounding the floating city of Midgar and I had never been more dumbstruck. The tales regarding the city were not everything they were cracked up to be. The city looked like a huge hulking shadow which was sucking all the light and energy from its surroundings. I much preferred the journey there than the actual city itself. Maybe I was just strange though because most of the other boys in the truck were staring awestruck at the hulking form in front of them.

As we drove past the outskirts of the lower city I could not help but stare at the degraded sight before me. People milling around the edges foraging around in the junk piles, faces grubby and clothes torn, occasionally there was a victorious shout to be heard when one of them found something of worth that they could probably sell off for some sort of profit. How could people live like this? Why would they live down here under the plate if they could be living up on the top plate of city? The answer was a simple one. They simply did not have the money which was made clear as we drove onto the highway. The difference was staggering, where in the lower sector it was full of trash and filth the upper plate was as clean as a whistle, the sidewalk free of any gum, bird droppings were absent, and litter was nowhere to be seen. The houses were all sleek, slim and modern, up-to-date with all the latest Shinra technology; the locks on their doors the best that money could buy. The closer you got to the Shinra building the bigger the houses got and the more elaborate they were as well. Gold paint, statues in the gardens, expensive cars, butlers out in the garden polishing said cars that are probably never even used in the first place.

I must admit though that the Shinra building itself was a magnificent building, spanning over seventy floors, windows brightly lit by the Mako powered lights, the curve of the outer building making it seem streamline and classy but being imposing and domineering all at the same time. It was a huge symbol of their power and might for all the populace to see, the sight from the top must have been amazing, which I suppose is why President Shinra's office is located on one of the very top floors.

The truck drove underneath the building into a bunker of sorts, the place was filled with different types of cars, trucks, planes and helicopters. I almost salivated over the helicopters knowing that it was mostly only the Turks who used them, all the other SOLDIERS were often either using their own means of transportation or they took one of the planes on a group mission.

When the truck finally rumbled to a stop we all climbed out of it as fast as we could to grab our bags from the back. It took a while to get them after a lot of pushing and shoving with elbows and arms shoving into stomachs and ribs.

Puffing I lined up with the others and waited to be escorted into the complex itself. You see the Shinra complex wasn't just made up of the Shinra building itself, oh no, it had a whole multitude of other buildings hidden in the shadow of the mass of concrete and metal. There were mess halls, Cadet Barracks, SOLDIER Barracks, Turk apartments, training buildings for each also, there was a track outside as well as a swimming pool, there was also a small obstacle course and of course there were the gates into the Shinra Building itself.

Eventually a SOLDIER came striding towards us grinning an infectious smile. This SOLDIER had a tan complexion, black spiky hair falling around his face, wide Mako blue eyes and had a training sword strapped to his back in easy reach.

As soon as we realised he was coming over to us we all snapped into a salute we were taught by the driver during the journey. He bounced over to us (literally) and waved his hand carelessly.

"At ease!" he chuckled. "My name is Zack Fair, SOLDIER Second Class and I'll be your guide for the day! Welcome to Midgar!"

* * *

_AN:I'll try and get the next chapter done tomorrow but no promises! _

_Remember to review!_


	3. Grubby Boys and Bloodthirsty Goons

**Chapter 2 – Grubby Boys and Bloodthirsty Goons**

I was running as fast as I could, dodging people, jumping over piles of trash left in the street, ducking through shortcuts and sliding through the waste mixed with the mud. The Midgar slums were a shady place where you could get lost easily if you didn't already know your way around. Luckily however I myself grew up here in the slums and know it like the back of my hand. I do not think I have ever lived anywhere else in my whole life.

"Damn!" I tsked as the men pursuing me got closer, close enough for one of their hands to scratch against my back sliding against the mud slicked zip-up jumper. Currently I am being chased by the Sector six Catchers a group of goons who were out to get me.

"Boy oh boy what a lame name!" I sniggered to myself as I dropped to the floor and slid sideways underneath a rotting sewage pipe. Just because I snagged some of their gill from right under their drunken noses they take it upon themselves to chase me through the sector six slums. If I could manage to get into either sector five or seven then I would be safe: For now at least.

It was always enjoyable to wind up the goons lurking around the different sectors, besides as my ma always says; it is good training for later life. If you're not strong enough to survive in the slums you don't last very long before you get caught up in things you should have stayed far away from. Take my mom for example, when my dad left us for some other bint in a short skirt and red lips my mother had to get money into the house but had no way of doing it. Desperate she had to turn to Don Corneo. You can imagine what she got herself in for. Despite all of that she is still a strong willed woman and yearns to open her own stall in Wall Market selling materia or weapons. If I ever have the chance to free her from the Don's hands then rest assured I will do everything in my power.

I stumbled as my foot hit a metal pole hidden under the mud, unfortunately this meant that the moron behind me managed to grab a hold of my hood and drag me backwards. I struggled and cursed trying to break free of his meaty grip to no avail.

"Get off of me you fucking moron!" I snapped twisting managing to get a hold of his hand and bite down hard enough to draw his blood. He howled in pain and automatically let me go to tend to his wound.

"Idiot." I muttered as I continued to run straight towards the Wall market, if I managed to get there before they caught me I would be able to lose them in the crowd and maybe climb the wall and hang around up there until they give up and leave.

Slipping and sliding I managed to jump onto the roofs of the hastily erected buildings beside me and run above them without all the mud slowing me down. Another upside to being a slum rat was that you had your whole life to build shortcuts and hidden paths for yourself to avoid getting caught in a sticky situation.

Grinning to myself I jumped over a fallen beam, one hand pushing against the beam while catapulting myself over the other side and straight down into the market itself. As I was falling I gauged the distance to the ground before bending my knees preparing myself for the impact. Panting I righted myself before leisurely strolling into the crowds of people, pulling up my grubby hood to cover my hair, mixing in with the crowd easily losing my pursuers, this was confirmed when I heard them cursing my name loudly.

As I was stealthily walking away from the group a little kid bumped into my side causing me to stumble and my hood to fall off of my head, revealing my bright head of hair for them to see. I heard one of them shout in victory pointing me out to the leader, the sound of their heavy feet splashing in the mud behind me made me curse the kid and take off running again.

Pushing past people I ran towards the Don's mansion, ducking underneath the brightly coloured cloths, sliding underneath people's legs when they didn't move fast enough for me to get past and grinning to the HoneyBee ladies as I past them making them giggle behind their hands.

My eyes widened as I neared the mansion, the goons behind me not slowing or showing any signs that they would be giving up any time soon, they widened even more when I spotted a black suit of a TURK standing on the front steps of the mansion. Don's obviously been up to his nefarious deeds and not been stealthy enough again.

"Shit!" I spat and changed direction towards the open space to the side of the mansion where the wire leading up the wall was situated. Out the corner of my eye I saw the TURK turn his head watching the group as it passed him. He had dark skin, a bald head and was wearing dark sunglasses even though no sun ever reached this far into the slums. I bet he thinks he looks slick wearing those and I have to admit they suit him and the suit.

Not looking behind me I ran to the wall and wrapped my hands around the wire shimmying myself up as fast as I could, my hands burning from the friction. Even more so when a hand grabbed the back of my shirt and dragged me down. I didn't let go of the wire in a desperate hope that they would fall and let go.

No such luck.

I cursed and grumbled as I jumped up to my feet from where I had landed on the ground my back covered in mud and grime, sweat making my hair stick to my head and back of my neck.

I raised my fists in an attempt to protect myself as they cornered me, all of them creating a semi-circle around me, my back to the wall.

"You filthy little Bastard!" the leader, a big beefy man with average brown hair and piggy little eyes, spat at me cracking his knuckles menacingly.

"That the best you can come up with, yo?" I sniggered, my eyes darting around trying to find an easy way out.

"Think you can get away with stealing our goods do you?" he snarled advancing, the goons around him nodding in agreement. Each one of them was holding a different weapon in their hands, a pipe, a handlebar, a blunt knife and the most dangerous being a blunt sword with cracks and chips in the blade.

"Well you're all such big dumbasses I couldn't resist trying, yo!" I blinked when I looked past the goons shoulder to see the dark skinned TURK standing at the entrance to the clearing watching the proceedings with a blank look on his face. He had his arms folded hiding his hands.

"Why you little shitbag!" he snarled lunging forward, fists extended ready to slug me. I watched his eyes and hands reading his moves before dodging to the side making him punch the wall instead of me. He howled in pain holding his fist to his chest bewildered.

Sniggering I failed to notice the advancement of the other goons, having forgotten about them entirely, that is before I was hit in the back of my neck with a metal pole making me fall to the floor in pain.

"God damn fucking shit!" I howled. I curled up on the floor pulling my knees to my chest to protect my organs as they kicked the shit out of me. I opened my eyes a crack and saw through the hailstorm of legs swinging, the movement of the TURK. He was walking towards the group, pulling on some black leather gloves.

I grunted as a particularly hard kick got me in the head, I refused to cry out in pain having learnt a long time ago to never show your pain to your opponent. I clenched my adnominal muscles readying myself for the next attack but frowned when I heard the unmistakable sounds of a fight above me, yet none of them were attacking me anymore. I flinched when something, a body, landed next to me splashing me with more mud.

I squinted my eyes open to look at the sight above me and blinked in confusion. The muscled TURK from before had now reached the group and was kicking some serious ass!

The air was filled with the cries of the goons and the shouts of attack, flesh hitting flesh, grunts of pain and panicked shouting. When their leader went down they scattered each of them not holding onto their courage when the instigator of the attack was taken down. I slowly edged up into a upright position on the ground slumping against the wall clutching at my bruised ribs trying to check for more permanent damage they might have caused.

I only looked up when I saw the TURK's booted feet come to a stop in front of me; I could feel his gaze boring into the top of my skull.

"Thanks for that and everything, yo." I smirked getting up using the wall behind me as support. "But I really should be going now." I walked around him slowly not looking at him, having learnt a long time ago that you should never look a TURK, or anyone else from Shinra for that matter, in the eyes.

I snickered to myself when I was halfway across the clearing getting closer and closer to the mansion.

I grunted when a hard blow caught me on the back of the head. I lifted my hand to feel the rapidly growing lump underneath my hair.

"Shit." I sighed out as I slumped to the floor everything turning black and hazy. The last thing I saw before giving into the pull of unconsciousness was the approaching boots of the TURK.


	4. The Turks

**The TURKS**

_AN: So the last chapter was meant to be longer than it was but it was just such a good place to stop that I couldn't resist (plus I was being lazy ...). Anyway here is the next chapter for you I hope you like it and a big shout out to all of you who liked and reviewed this! This isn't BETA read so all mistakes are mine._

* * *

Groaning painfully I rolled over slightly.

"GAH!" I shouted in surprise. Apparently the couch I was lying on was a lot smaller than I thought and I rolled right off of it onto the carpeted floor. Sitting up I rubbed the back of my head resentfully. What kind of idiot was I to turn my back on a TURK? He could have done any god damn thing to me.

Shaking my head to clear it I looked around me taking in my surroundings for the first time. I appeared to be in some sort of office, the far wall was made up of windows and sitting in front of the window was a heavy wooden desk with a black haired man sitting behind it scribbling something. Behind me was a plain wall with a door and standing in front of the door, acting as a guard to keep me from running out, was the dark skinned TURK from earlier, hands folded peacefully in front of him. I noticed with a bit of scorn that he was still wearing his black leather gloves that he had donned earlier. Now having the chance to get a better look at him I couldn't help but notice that he had quite a lot of scars on the little skin that was showing from underneath his black\blue Turk suit. Another thing I noticed with a little envy was the amount of ear piercings the man had in each ear, there had to be at least ten in each ear.

I sighed resigned to my fate of having to talk to the person behind the desk.

"Hey yo! Where am I?" I asked pushing myself up off the ground and tugging my jacket down from where it had rolled up.

The only answer I got was more scratching of the pen on paper and the occasional click of a mouse.

Grumbling under my breath I sat back down on the couch and settled myself in for a long wait. Whoever this hotshot is he must think I've got all the time in the world or something. My mother comes off of work in about an hour and I have to be home waiting for her or she'll blow her top.

"Would you please cease your fidgeting?" The man behind the desk asked not looking up from his work once. As with the other Turk I took the chance to look this man over too. He had short black hair tied back in a little bunch at the nape of his neck, he didn't look as if he was from Midgar, his sin was more tanned and healthy than anyone I had ever seen walking around the slums, I can't really say I've seen a great many people from the upper plate but I know they don't have a healthy tan skin on them, not with all the smog in the air from the reactors. He looked as if he took great care in his appearance: his eyebrows plucked, skin flawless, not a single hair out of place and not a speck of lint or a crease to be seen on his Turk suit.

"Look yo, I have somewhere I gotta be so can we make this quick?"

Finally he looked up after setting his pen down slowly. He looked at me with a piercing stare and an expressionless face, his black eyes staring at me, assessing me. We sat there, for I don't know how long, before he sighed slightly and began to talk.

"You were brought to me because my Turk feels that you have potential to be a Turk in the future and expresses the wish to train you himself." He stated. "I do not see any potential whatsoever so be thankful towards him."

I gaped at him in astonishment.

"You will be joining the cadet programme as soon as you walk out of this office and you will be trained in the basics before we continue your recruitment. We do however have a slight mission for you."

I couldn't say a word. I was completely gobsmacked. How could they expect a slum rat to join the cadets let alone the Turks of all things?

This is just perfect, just what I fucking need. Note the sarcasm.

"Oh yeah? And what, prey tell, is this so called mission, yo?" I grumbled annoyed. How could they just up and take someone off the streets and tell them that they are going to change their lives just to fit in to the grand scheme that they have cooked up? Just acting as a convenient tool. Who the fuck says that I want to be a Turk?! I don't! Although the money would come in useful but I have a whole list of crimes backed up against me, surely they can't just ignore that as if it is nothing.

The guy behind the desk opened his mouth to start talking again when I interrupted him.

"Hold the phone! Who the fuck says I'm going to agree to all of this in the first place? I have a mother to look after, yo. I can't just abandon her on one of Shinra's little whims!"

The guys face turned into stone, he just stared at me as if I was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe and refused to come off.

"I understand that," He understands that? How could he possibly understand that? He couldn't, by looking at him I wouldn't say that he has spent one night going hungry, going without a warm place to sleep. No, he is surrounded by luxuries, things to keep him warm, safe and secure. There isn't anything like that in the slums, every man and woman for him or herself, there is no help and there is no kindness out of the comfort of your own family. So what right does he have to say that he understands?

I glared at him in silent warning. If he tries to tell me that everything will be alright, that everything will work itself out, then he can go to hell.

"We have already put in motion plans to move your mother out of the slums and to any area of her wish. We have also located her daughter, your sister, in Mideel where she can reunite if it is her wish. We have also given her a hefty sum of money which will last her a while until she gets a stable job." He stated flicking through some files as if to check his facts. "She will be out of Midgar by nightfall."

My sister? My baby sister? I didn't even know she was still alive let alone living in Mideel. My mother was finally going to be getting away from that horrid job at the HoneyBee Inn too. How could I say no to something like that?

I can't.

I sighed in disbelief shaking my head and rubbing my hair in frustration. There was really only one thing that I could do for the good of my family and myself. I would have to let them go and hope they'll be alright without me looking out for them.

"Alright. What is it you want me to do?" I looked up to see a slight smirk cross the mans face, it wasn't a smug smirk but rather a satisfied one.

I really hope I'm doing the right thing.


	5. Cadets

_AN: Okay here is another chapter for you! I know the last chapter was rather short but here is a long chapter for you (longest one yet I think!). I hope you like it and thank you for the reviews and favorites._

**Cadets**

I winced as someone's bag jabbed into my side sharply. I threw him a filthy look and rubbed at the sore muscle in my side while hefting my own bag higher up my shoulder.

After leaving the transport bunker with SOLDIER Fair, he had led us through the grounds, showing us the training facilities we would be using and where the cadets cafeteria was located in relation to the bunkers. At the moment he was leading us towards a rundown looking building close to the cadets training grounds. The building was covered in peeling white paint, the windows looked like they had never been cleaned and the roof looked as if it was ready to fall down.

It wasn't a reassuring sight.

"Doesn't look pretty does it?" The SOLDIER laughed rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Angeal, my mentor, keeps telling the higher ups that it needs to me improved but they never seem to listen."

I rolled my eyes. Of course they wouldn't listen, not if it means they have to spend their money on something as silly as keeping their buildings habitable and safe, no they would rather spend their money on silly things like refurbishing the President's office or building a new reactor in places they don't need one, take Nibelheim for example one of the first reactors was built there but there is hardly anyone there to have a need for it.

"Right well," Zack sighed before looking down at a device in his hands that I had never seen before. Maybe it was something only people in the city had, it seemed to not need anything to run on but I could clearly see that the screen was lit up somehow and the SOLDIER was tapping at the screen with his finger.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Finally he looked up from the screen as we came to a stop in front of the decrepit building; there was a sign above the door with one simple word 'Cadets' this must be the barracks. It was a rather depressing thought that we would be spending most of our time in this building; it wasn't a very encouraging start or a very good first impression.

"Welcome to your new home! Well for now at least." Zack smiled looking at us all, I could see a hint of pity in his eyes. "Right then let's get you all into a room so you can have a bit of a rest, yeah?"

He looked back at the curious device in his hand and walked through the double wooden doors behind him motioning for us to follow him inside. I reluctantly followed the group and looked around at the corridor we walked into. The walls were an off white greyish colour and the floor was covered in green carpet tiles that were curling slightly at the corners where the glue had started to wear off. It was a big building with wooden doors branching off at regular intervals all the way down.

Zack led us all the way to the end of the corridor and stopped in front of the first wooden door.

"Okay so in each room we have four people, two people to a bunk bed. The general rule is that you are partnered with your bunk mate in almost everything you will do in training. So you should try and get along with each other." He grinned getting a faraway look in his eyes as he obviously thought back to his days as a cadet. One of the cadets at the front of the group had to clear his throat loudly to snap him out of his daze. He shook his head and grinned at us all.

"Right, a group has already been brought in beforehand so there will be others in there already. When I call your name come forward and entre your room. Thomas Quentin and Renly Pluto." The two mentioned walked forward and into the room shutting the door behind them and so the process was repeated as he led us down the corridor, the group getting smaller and smaller the further down we went until at last it was just myself and one other cadet.

"Looks like you two get the last room. You know this is the room I had when I was a cadet!" he puffed his chest out as if this was some great accomplishment.

"Is the training very difficult?" I asked curious.

He looked at me smiling, his Mako blue eyes bright with joy. He was rather endearing in a cute puppy sort of way, with his big eyes and his black raven hair falling in his face, moving whenever he did. You just look at him or spend any amount of time with him and you immediately take a liking to him and want to be his friend.

"It will be for the first few weeks but you get used to it after a while." He assured me. "What's your name?"

"Cloud. Cloud Strife." I held out my free hand to him and he shook it firmly smiling down at me. I noticed with no amount of annoyance that he was taller than me; my height has always been a touchy subject for me.

"Nice to meet you Cloud!"

* * *

When we walked into the last room on the corridor I saw that it was a very basic room, nothing more than two bunk beds on either side, a small dresser underneath a small window, an alarm clock situated on top of it and when you closed the door there was a small door leading to a very basic toilet room with no shower.

I walked over to my bed on the bottom bunk, which wasn't a problem with me as I had a good view out of the window, and dropped my bag onto the thin mattress. I sat down and looked at the other occupants of the room opposite of me, there was someone resting on the top bunk of my bed as well but I couldn't see him from where I sat.

The cadet I had walked into the room with was sitting on his bed rifling through his bag looking for something. He looked up at me and smiled slightly, we already knew each other slightly from the trip here but never had a chance to introduce ourselves.

"Hi I'm Anthony." He held out his smooth hand for me to shake, he must have had a privileged life if his hands were so smooth, compared to mine his were baby soft.

"Cloud." I murmured. I heard a scoff from the top bunk of the other bed and looked up to see a sneering face staring down at me.

"What kind of a name is Cloud?" he snickered. "Sounds like a bumpkin name to me. Where is it you said you were from?"

"I didn't." I replied taking the chance to look him over. He looked as if he was a rich boy from one of the sectors on top of the plate. He was obviously lavished with money when he was a child and felt he was better than anyone outside of Midgar. He had average brown hair and dark eyes making him rather unremarkable and he would easily blend in with the others as just another cadet. There was nothing special about him and he would pose no threat against me.

"Well?" he demanded jumping down from the bunk.

"My home town is a place called Nibelheim." I replied not moving from my sitting position. I heard movement from the bunk above me.

"So you are a bumpkin!" he crowed delightedly. The cadet, Anthony, looked decidedly uncomfortable with either the situation or the fact that he had spoken with me.

"So what if I am? Better to be a bumpkin that a spoiled little rich kid who is going to fade into the background and become a coward when he is needed the most." I snapped back standing up to defend myself. I wasn't particularly proud of where I came from but that didn't mean I was going to let him stand there and insult our way of life as if it was infinitely below him.

There was a sigh and a muttered curse from above me and the sound of rustling sheets. Seconds later a tall red haired boy jumped down in front of me, his stance was cocky and self assured. His hair was short and similar to mine in style except it looked like his head was on fire rather than the rear end of a chocobo. His clothes were rugged and looked as if he had been rolling around in the mud quite a lot and there was even some dried blood on the hood of his jacket and the back of his neck.

"What the hell do you want rat?" the boy spat in disgust, shying away from the muddy figure of the boy.

"Why don't you think about what you say before you say it, Charles?" the boy smirked.

The posh cadet about blew a gasket when the boy spoke, his face went brick red and I swear there was a vain throbbing in his temple.

"MY NAME ISN'T CHARLES!" he shouted stamping his foot.

I sniggered into my hand.

"Oh so sorry my mistake!" the boy snickered. "Would you rather I call you something else, yo? How about Harry? No? What about Camilla, Philip, Elizabeth, Edward? I think Edward, its nice and classical don't you think Eddy?"

The boy seethed and turned around ignoring him completely. He never did tell me his real name. Maybe I should call him Eddy too.

The boy chuckled and turned to me. I got my first real look at him when he faced me: his hair flopped into his face, not as much as SOLDIER Zack's did though, his eyes were a startling blue and he had a rather prominent jaw. He was wearing some torn jeans, an extremely grubby zip up jumper with a dark blue t-shirt underneath and ratty trainers. I couldn't help but look at his frame seizing him up. He looked disappointingly skinny, he had skinny arms and legs but they both had some definition to them as if he had to use them every day but never really bothered to work out. They looked naturally formed from hard work and because of his slight frame he would be a fast runner. Overall he was a good partner to have during training.

"I'm Reno, yo. Just Reno." He smirked placing his hands on his hips and jutting one out to the side his eyes running over me as if assessing me as I had done only moments ago.

"Cloud Strife." I said looking up at him. "Thanks for that by the way."

"Think nothing of it, Blondie. Us outsiders have got to stick together ya know." He winked slyly before climbing back onto his bunk disappearing from view again. Somehow I have the feeling that we will become great friends.

**Reno POV**

I settled back on the bed thinking about the slight blond who was shuffling about below, he must be unpacking his bag.

When I heard the cadet David start on about Cloud being a hic I couldn't just sit there and listen to it so I had to intervene. What can I say? I have a soft spot for country boys.

When I left the Turk's office earlier I had the chance to head on down to the slums with the big Turk, who had introduced himself as Rude, to see my mother and tell her what was happening. She was understandably confused about the whole thing, heck who isn't? She had already been visited by a different Turk before I got there. She told me that it was a female with ginger hair and a black suit on so obviously my mind went to the conclusion it was a Turk.

I only really had the chance for a brief explanation and a hastened farewell before she was hustled from the shack we called home. She was reluctant to leave but knew it was in both our best interests that she do as she was told without protest. I watched as she was escorted to a sleek black car, they weren't trying to blend in at all, and drive away. For all I know it could have been the last time I ever saw her. At least I had the knowledge that she would be safe away from Midgar, maybe her health would improve away from the smog and pollution in the air. She started crying when they told her about Aphra being found in Mideel, when she had been born my mother didn't have enough money to keep us both and because Aphra was so young she had decided that she should have the chance at a better life and sent her away with most of our savings to somewhere she would grow up happy and safe.

I was eight when she was sent away.

I shook my head in irritation at myself and leant over the side of the bed looking down at Cloud.

"Hey yo!" I called down to him. "You wanna go get somat to eat?"

He looked up at me, a small crease forming between his eyebrows in thought. After a short while he nodded in agreement and moved back slightly so I would have room to jump down.

He was looking over at the other two cadets frowning.

"Do you – "

"Leave em." I interrupted knowing what he was going to ask. "If they want food they'll have to find the cafeteria by themselves." I walked out of the room looking behind me to see if he was following me.

"So where are you from?" He asked curiously. I looked at him thinking, he didn't look like the type of person to judge someone because of where they were from and from the looks of him and his numerous scars he obviously hadn't had an easy life.

"The slums, yo."

"Really?" He asked fascinated. "What is it like down there? From what I saw of them when we drove past it looks horrible." His eyes widened. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean – "

"It's okay, yo." I interrupted again. "A lot of people say the same thing when they come here. The slums are a hard place to live. You have to constantly look over your shoulder, you can't trust anyone in the slums especially not the kids, they run around nabbing your gill if you're not careful."

Cloud stared at me in shock shaking his head in disbelief.

I smirked to myself glad to have shocked him. It was always fun to tease the newbie's even if it was the truth.

We walked out of the building and towards the next building over where the SOLDIER had mentioned the cafeteria was. The building itself was something you would expect to see on the training grounds, it was a rundown building with the brick showing underneath the white render on the outside of the building. There was a constant stream of people walking in and out through the open doors, SOLDIER's and cadets alike. I could only assume the SOLDERS came here when it was convenient for them not really by choice.

"So I suppose you want to be a SOLDIER like everyone else around here?" I asked sighing knowing the answer.

"No actually." He began making me look at him with no amount of shock. Mostly everyone you ask when you come to Shinra say they want to be a First Class SOLDIER I have to admit this is a first. "I want to become a Turk."

"Why?" I blurted out shocked.

He looked at me amused.

"I know not many people want to be but it is a family tradition. My Grandfather was a Turk as was his father and I'm not really sure about my mother but she sure does know a lot about their training. She's been training me since I was around twelve." He told me smiling slightly.

"Huh." I murmured shocked. We walked into the cafeteria in silence thinking about what the other had said.

* * *

AN: Okay I have decided that the version of this fiction on this site will be a less mature version and the one of Ao3 will be an un-edited version. So if you want mature parts go check out the other one. I'll put a link on my profile.


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